< Jeremiah 9 >

1 Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
מִֽי־יִתֵּ֤ן רֹאשִׁי֙ מַ֔יִם וְעֵינִ֖י מְקֹ֣ור דִּמְעָ֑ה וְאֶבְכֶּה֙ יֹומָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה אֵ֖ת חַֽלְלֵ֥י בַת־עַמִּֽי׃
2 Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people, and go from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
מִֽי־יִתְּנֵ֣נִי בַמִּדְבָּ֗ר מְלֹון֙ אֹֽרְחִ֔ים וְאֶֽעֶזְבָה֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י וְאֵלְכָ֖ה מֵֽאִתָּ֑ם כִּ֤י כֻלָּם֙ מְנָ֣אֲפִ֔ים עֲצֶ֖רֶת בֹּגְדִֽים׃
3 And they bend their tongue-their bow-for falsehood, and they have grown strong in the land, but not for truth. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, says Jehovah.
וַֽיַּדְרְכ֤וּ אֶת־לְשֹׁונָם֙ קַשְׁתָּ֣ם שֶׁ֔קֶר וְלֹ֥א לֶאֱמוּנָ֖ה גָּבְר֣וּ בָאָ֑רֶץ כִּי֩ מֵרָעָ֨ה אֶל־רָעָ֧ה ׀ יָצָ֛אוּ וְאֹתִ֥י לֹֽא־יָדָ֖עוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס
4 Take ye heed each one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother, for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders.
אִ֤ישׁ מֵרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ הִשָּׁמֵ֔רוּ וְעַל־כָּל־אָ֖ח אַל־תִּבְטָ֑חוּ כִּ֤י כָל־אָח֙ עָקֹ֣וב יַעְקֹ֔ב וְכָל־רֵ֖עַ רָכִ֥יל יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃
5 And they will deceive each one his neighbor, and will not speak the truth. They have taught their tongue to speak lies. They weary themselves to commit iniquity.
וְאִ֤ישׁ בְּרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ יְהָתֵ֔לּוּ וֶאֱמֶ֖ת לֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ לִמְּד֧וּ לְשֹׁונָ֛ם דַּבֶּר־שֶׁ֖קֶר הַעֲוֵ֥ה נִלְאֽוּ׃
6 Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit. Through deceit they refuse to know me, says Jehovah.
שִׁבְתְּךָ֖ בְּתֹ֣וךְ מִרְמָ֑ה בְּמִרְמָ֛ה מֵאֲנ֥וּ דַֽעַת־אֹותִ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס
7 Therefore thus says Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will melt them, and try them, for how else should I do, because of the daughter of my people?
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות הִנְנִ֥י צֹורְפָ֖ם וּבְחַנְתִּ֑ים כִּֽי־אֵ֣יךְ אֶעֱשֶׂ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃
8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceit. He speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he lies wait for him.
חֵ֥ץ שֹׁוחֵט (שָׁח֛וּט) לְשֹׁונָ֖ם מִרְמָ֣ה דִבֵּ֑ר בְּפִ֗יו שָׁלֹ֤ום אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ יְדַבֵּ֗ר וּבְקִרְבֹּ֖ו יָשִׂ֥ים אָרְבֹּֽו׃
9 Shall I not visit them for these things? says Jehovah. Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
הַעַל־אֵ֥לֶּה לֹֽא־אֶפְקָד־בָּ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה אִ֚ם בְּגֹ֣וי אֲשֶׁר־כָּזֶ֔ה לֹ֥א תִתְנַקֵּ֖ם נַפְשִֽׁי׃ ס
10 For the mountains I will take up a weeping and wailing, and for the pastures of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none passes through, nor can men hear the voice of the cattle. Both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled; they are gone.
עַל־הֶ֨הָרִ֜ים אֶשָּׂ֧א בְכִ֣י וָנֶ֗הִי וְעַל־נְאֹ֤ות מִדְבָּר֙ קִינָ֔ה כִּ֤י נִצְּתוּ֙ מִבְּלִי־אִ֣ישׁ עֹבֵ֔ר וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ קֹ֣ול מִקְנֶ֑ה מֵעֹ֤וף הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה נָדְד֖וּ הָלָֽכוּ׃
11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, a dwelling-place of jackals. And I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.
וְנָתַתִּ֧י אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלַ֛͏ִם לְגַלִּ֖ים מְעֹ֣ון תַּנִּ֑ים וְאֶת־עָרֵ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה אֶתֵּ֥ן שְׁמָמָ֖ה מִבְּלִ֖י יֹושֵֽׁב׃ ס
12 Who is the wise man, who may understand this, and he to whom the mouth of Jehovah has spoken, that he may declare it? Why has the land perished and burned up like a wilderness, so that none passes through?
מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הֶֽחָכָם֙ וְיָבֵ֣ן אֶת־זֹ֔את וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר פִּֽי־יְהוָ֛ה אֵלָ֖יו וְיַגִּדָ֑הּ עַל־מָה֙ אָבְדָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ נִצְּתָ֥ה כַמִּדְבָּ֖ר מִבְּלִ֖י עֹבֵֽר׃ ס
13 And Jehovah says, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, nor walked in it,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־עָזְבָם֙ אֶת־תֹּ֣ורָתִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹא־שָׁמְע֥וּ בְקֹולִ֖י וְלֹא־הָ֥לְכוּ בָֽהּ׃
14 but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baalim, which their fathers taught them.
וַיֵּ֣לְכ֔וּ אַחֲרֵ֖י שְׁרִר֣וּת לִבָּ֑ם וְאַחֲרֵי֙ הַבְּעָלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִמְּד֖וּם אֲבֹותָֽם׃ ס
15 Therefore thus says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאֹות֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנְנִ֧י מַאֲכִילָ֛ם אֶת־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה לַֽעֲנָ֑ה וְהִשְׁקִיתִ֖ים מֵי־רֹֽאשׁ׃
16 I will scatter them also among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. And I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them.
וַהֲפִֽצֹותִים֙ בַּגֹּויִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א יָֽדְע֔וּ הֵ֖מָּה וַֽאֲבֹותָ֑ם וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֤י אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙ אֶת־הַחֶ֔רֶב עַ֥ד כַּלֹּותִ֖י אֹותָֽם׃ פ
17 Thus says Jehovah of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come, and send for the skilful women, that they may come.
כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָאֹ֔ות הִתְבֹּֽונְנ֛וּ וְקִרְא֥וּ לַמְקֹונְנֹ֖ות וּתְבֹואֶ֑ינָה וְאֶל־הַחֲכָמֹ֥ות שִׁלְח֖וּ וְתָבֹֽואנָה׃
18 And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.
וּתְמַהֵ֕רְנָה וְתִשֶּׂ֥נָה עָלֵ֖ינוּ נֶ֑הִי וְתֵרַ֤דְנָה עֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙ דִּמְעָ֔ה וְעַפְעַפֵּ֖ינוּ יִזְּלוּ־מָֽיִם׃
19 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How we are ruined! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.
כִּ֣י קֹ֥ול נְהִ֛י נִשְׁמַ֥ע מִצִּיֹּ֖ון אֵ֣יךְ שֻׁדָּ֑דְנוּ בֹּ֤שְׁנֽוּ מְאֹד֙ כִּֽי־עָזַ֣בְנוּ אָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ מִשְׁכְּנֹותֵֽינוּ׃ ס
20 Yet hear the word of Jehovah, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and each one her neighbor lamentation.
כִּֽי־שְׁמַ֤עְנָה נָשִׁים֙ דְּבַר־יְהוָ֔ה וְתִקַּ֥ח אָזְנְכֶ֖ם דְּבַר־פִּ֑יו וְלַמֵּ֤דְנָה בְנֹֽותֵיכֶם֙ נֶ֔הִי וְאִשָּׁ֥ה רְעוּתָ֖הּ קִינָֽה׃
21 For death has come up into our windows. It has entered into our palaces, to cut off the sons from outside, the young men from the streets.
כִּֽי־עָ֤לָה מָ֙וֶת֙ בְּחַלֹּונֵ֔ינוּ בָּ֖א בְּאַרְמְנֹותֵ֑ינוּ לְהַכְרִ֤ית עֹולָל֙ מִח֔וּץ בַּחוּרִ֖ים מֵרְחֹבֹֽות׃
22 Speak, Thus says Jehovah: The dead bodies of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather.
דַּבֵּ֗ר כֹּ֚ה נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְנָֽפְלָה֙ נִבְלַ֣ת הָֽאָדָ֔ם כְּדֹ֖מֶן עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּכְעָמִ֛יר מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י הַקֹּצֵ֖ר וְאֵ֥ין מְאַסֵּֽף׃ ס
23 Thus says Jehovah: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor let the mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in his riches,
כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֤ל חָכָם֙ בְּחָכְמָתֹ֔ו וְאַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל הַגִּבֹּ֖ור בִּגְבֽוּרָתֹ֑ו אַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל עָשִׁ֖יר בְּעָשְׁרֹֽו׃
24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am Jehovah who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth. For in these things I delight, says Jehovah.
כִּ֣י אִם־בְּזֹ֞את יִתְהַלֵּ֣ל הַמִּתְהַלֵּ֗ל הַשְׂכֵּל֮ וְיָדֹ֣עַ אֹותִי֒ כִּ֚י אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה עֹ֥שֶׂה חֶ֛סֶד מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה בָּאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־בְאֵ֥לֶּה חָפַ֖צְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס
25 Behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that I will punish all those who are circumcised in their uncircumcision:
הִנֵּ֛ה יָמִ֥ים בָּאִ֖ים נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וּפָ֣קַדְתִּ֔י עַל־כָּל־מ֖וּל בְּעָרְלָֽה׃
26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the sons of Ammon, and Moab, and all who have the corners of their hair cut off, who dwell in the wilderness. For all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.
עַל־מִצְרַ֣יִם וְעַל־יְהוּדָ֗ה וְעַל־אֱדֹ֞ום וְעַל־בְּנֵ֤י עַמֹּון֙ וְעַל־מֹואָ֔ב וְעַל֙ כָּל־קְצוּצֵ֣י פֵאָ֔ה הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר כִּ֤י כָל־הַגֹּויִם֙ עֲרֵלִ֔ים וְכָל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַרְלֵי־לֵֽב׃ ס

< Jeremiah 9 >